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In a letter to his future wife, Mary Jo, in 1954, Colonel Robert Paul Monfore sent a drawing and description of the dream house he wanted to build her. In 1982, he made that dream a reality. Lovingly nicknamed The Bunker, Hilltop Haven is nestled between Avon and Wagner approximately a mile away from the Missouri River. It is a poured concrete, earth sheltered home making it environmentally friendly and energy efficient. The home is cave-like in that it is actually built into the side of the hill. Sky lights have been added to allow more natural light into windowless rooms and an updated heating and cooling system has been added in addition to the heat provided by the beautiful stone fireplace which id comprised of stones hand-picked by the Monfores. Because it is built into the side of the hill and made of concrete, to run any of the electrical and plumbing there is a tunnel that was created in order to add to or fix any wiring or plumbing problems that may arise. Colonel Monfore designed this dream home while serving in the Army as an engineer. The Colonel served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The couple was married on February 19, 1955. The Colonel and Mary Jo traveled to and were stationed all over the world filling their home with beautiful pieces of art and furniture. The Monfore’s were big entertainers throughout the years, which did not change once they retired. The Bunker became a place to gather for the Monfore’s close friends and family to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. Even though both Robert and Mary Jo have both passed, the the gathering of loved ones and friends at The Bunker continues. It was the Monfore’s hope that their daughter, Mary and her husband Rick would move into The Bunker. Instead, Mary has chosen to continue the legacy of the Bunker being a place for family and friends to gather in a different way. Mary has chosen to list the home with Evolve, an online vacation property reservation company. In hopes that other families and friends can continue to enjoy the ambiance and scenery that The Bunker provides. Mary renovated the property during covid in 2021 to bring a more modern and updated feel to the home. She did much of the renovating and repurposing work herself and with the help of Josh Scott of Scott’s Handyman Service. She took her father’s old Army issued footlockers, leaving his name and APO address still visible on the side but painted them and repurposed them as bedside tables. There are many pieces like the footlockers in the home that are an ode to her parents. The Bunker is a very beautiful and unique home with an amazing view of the Missouri River right outside its walls. Mary has continued her parent’s legacy and honored their memory in the décor and repurposing of items that are steeped in their rich family history and by continuing to have The Bunker be a place of gathering to make meaningful memories.